Side curtain for vehicle-tops.



D. GALLOWAY.

SIDE CURTAIN FOR VEHICLE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 24. I9I4.

' Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Inventor Attorneys Witnesses COLUMBIA VLANOGRAPII C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

DOUGLAS GALLOWAY, OF SOUTH FORK, MISSOURI.

SIDE CURTAIN FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 141, 1915.

Application filed October 24., 1914. Serial No. 868,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS GALLowAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Fork, in the county of Howell and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Side Curtain for Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains generally to vehicle tops, and more particularly to a curtain therefor.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel side curtain for an automobile or other vehicle top, and unique means for mounting the curtain in place, whereby the curtain may be folded back with the vehicle top when not in use.

The invention contemplates the provision of a novel means for assembling a roller carrying the curtain, with the body and folding top of a vehicle, whereby the curtain roller may fold and unfold with the top, and it will be properly positioned when the top is raised, to enable the curtain to be unfolded and extended along the corresponding side of the vehicle top.

It is also within the scope of the invention, to provide a device of the nature indicated, which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, which may be readily applied to various vehicle bodies and tops, and which will be convenient, practical and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the device as applied, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the curtain roller and its casing, parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a cross section taken through the curtain roller and its casing.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a tubular curtain casing 1, within which is mounted a curtain roller 2.

The upper end of the casing 1 is open, and has a plug or head 3 engaged therein, whereby when the plug or head 3 is removed, the curtain roller 2 may be withdrawn and inserted from and into, respectively, the casing 1. The lower end of the roller 2 is provided with a pivot 4 engaging through the lower closed end of the casing l, to pivotally mount the lower end of the curtain roller within the lower portion of the casing l, and the roller 2 is also provided with a longitudinal bore 5 opening through the upper end of the roller, and containing a coiled wire torslonal or winding spring 6. A longitudinal core member 7 is disposed within the spring 6, and the lower end of the spring 6 is secured to the roller 2 at the lower end of the bore 5. A hearing member 8 is engaged non-rotatably through the plug or head 3 of the casing 1, a disk 9 being secured upon the upper end of the roller 2 to close the upper end of the bore 5 and being journaled upon the bearing member 8, while the lower end of the bearing member 8 is provided with a fork 10 engaging the upper end or convolutlon of the spring 6 and the upper end of the core member 7, whereby the upper end of the spring 6 is engaged to the upper end of the casing 1, to cause the spring 6 to come under tension when the roller 2 is rotated to unwind the curtain therefrom. The curtain 11, which may be constructed of pantasote or other suitable flexible material, has one end attached to the roller 2 to be wound thereon under the influence of the spring 6, and the curtain passes through a longitudinal slot 12 provided in the casing 1, as clearly seen in Fig. 4:.

The means for mounting the casing or housing 1 in place, embodies an upper angular bracket 13 having one arm secured rigidly to the plug or head 3 at the upper end of the casing 1, and having its other end engaged to or embracing the crown or upper portion of the rear bow 15 of the vehicle top, as at 14. Thus, the upper end of the casing l is pivotally anchored or connected to the crown or upper portion of the rear how 15, whereby the casing will be raised and lowered with the rear bow.

A disk or plate 16 is secured in anysuitable manner to the lower end of the casing 1, and is provided with an angularly extending apertured ear 17 which slidably engages a horizontal guide rod or bracket 18. The guide rod 18 is provided at its forward end crum member of the-rear bow-15or-which-is secured in any suitable manner to the chassis or frame of the body B of the automobile or other vehicle, while the rod 18 has its rear end portion curved upwardly, as at 20, and

provided with the angular portion 21 secured to the back of thebo'dy' 'B, or'to the tonneau or rear seat of the automobile. The guide rod 18 is arranged longitudinally whereby the lower end of thecasing' 1- may slide rearw'ardly and forwardly upon the guide rod '18 as the top is raised and lowered, respectively." 7

The'edges, and o'ther portions, of'the'cur tain 11' are prov' ided with button-holes or eyes 23 wherebyvthe curtain may be engaged overthe buttons or fasteners of the vehicle topwhen the curtain is un'rolled andfex} tended'forwardly over the side of the vehicle 1 In practice, one ofthe curtains is employ'edatk each'sideof the vehicle top, as will be obvious. Ordinarily, when the curtain 11- is released, the samewill be wound up upon the roller2 within the casing 1,under the influence of the springlfi. The curtain will thus be conveniently rolled up and housed when idle. Then, when the vehicle to'plis raised, to swing the rear bow 15 there'- of upwardly to 'the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the casing v 1 will be carried rear wardly an'd upwardlytofupright or vertical position, the ear 17 of the lowerend of the casing l slioling rea'rwardly' upon the guide rod-1S and'upwardly upon the upwardly curved portion 20, and holding the lower end of the casing .1 against displacement, While the upper end of the casing is held in place by the bracket" 13.' It" is then an easy matter to unwind the curtainll and pull the same forwardly over the side of the vehicle top, to close the same, and wherebythe eyes or 'button holes 23 may be engaged over the buttons or fasteners of-the vehicle topito' hold the curtainin place.

l/Vhen it isdesired to remove the curtain 11', the same is det'a'chedfrom the buttons or fasteners of the vehicle top, and the curtain may vtheniloe wound up upon the roller 2, in which event, the casing 1 may be swung downwardly with thevehicle top, the lower end of the casing} 1 'beingguided down Wardly and forwardly along the guide rod 18, and the upper end of the casing 1 being carried downwardly by the upper portion or crown of the rear how 15. The casing occupies apositionimmediately below the rear bow 15, when lowered.

The present side curtain may thus be conveniently extended over the side of the ve hicle' top, when the top is raised, and may be conveniently removed and rolled up. The side curtain will be carried by the vehicle top, which will eliminate the necessity of independently storing the side curtain, as is necessarywith the ordinary removableside curtains. Theother advantages and attributes of the present invention will be obvious from thefore'going, taken in connection with the drawing, itis' thought, without further comment being deemed necessary.

Having thus described'the' invention, what is claimed a'snew'isP- I p 1. The COlnblIliltlOllWlllll a'piv'otedbow of a vehicle 'topmf a roller, -a curtain attached thereto, n'i'ea'ns swingably connecting the upper'end'of the rollerto'the' bow, andm'eans' adapted to be carried by'the vehicle body for movably supporting the" lower end of the roller, wherebysaid bow may he raised and loi'veredwithout detaching the roller.

2; Thecombination"with a vehicle body, and a top bow pivotedthereto, of a roller, a curtain" attached thereto, -means swinga'bly conneotingthe upper end of the roller and the crown'port'ion of the bow,'a guide mom ber carried by the body, and means for slidably connecting the lower end of the roller with the guide member, whereby the bow may be raised and lowered without detaching the roller.

3. 'lhe combination with a pivoted bow of a vehicle top, of a"roller, me'an's swinga'bly connecting the upper end of the'roller with the crown po'rti'on'of the how, a. horizontal guide rod'having one end extending to the pivot-of the'bow and l'iaving'its" other end curved upwardly, and means slidably engaging the lowerend'of the ro'llert'o said rod.

In testimony that'I claim thefore'go'ing as my own,"I have hereto aiii'xedmy signature in the 1 presence of tw o' witnesses.

DOUGLAS GALLOXVAY.

W. C. GaLLowAY', J. F. GALLOWAY.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five' cents each, by 'ad'di'essingthe Commissioner-of Patents, Washington; 'IL'C 

